2009-2010 Grand Rapids YET Centers

Heart of West Michigan United Way and Public/Private Ventures:

 

Establishing the Youth Education for Tomorrow Literacy Program in Grand Rapids Faith-Based Organizations

Heart of West Michigan United United Way (HWMUW) has selected the Youth Education for Tomorrow (YET) after school literacy program model to improve the literacy skills of Grand Rapids Youth. The project has two purposes. First, P/PV's national Youth Education for Tomorrow (YET) literacy model will be established in up to 15 after-school faith-based organizations through an innovative training protocol involving ongoing training, coaching and supervision. These YET centers will be supported by the Heart of West Michigan United Way, Grand Rapids, and serve up to 375 first- through third-graders, most of whom would be reading below grade level upon enrollment, for three years of programming from September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2011. The first year represents a pilot for three sites, the program components being phased in over this first year to give the staff time to learn and incorporate key elements of the balanced literacy approach. Full implementation in 15 sites is planned for 2009-2011.

Second, P/PV is investigating the replication process, including identifying what factors facilitate and hinder the rapid implementation of the model and examining how implementation quality relates to outcomes. Lessons learned will be shared in a policy brief for the national after-school audience.

P/PV seeks to build the independence of United Way staff in administering the structures and strategies needed to develop high quality after school literacy programs in communities of faith using a gradual release of responsibility model. P/PV will demonstrate explicitly and document how to initiate program planning, how to train Literacy Coaches and staff in the YET model, how to maintain a rigorous staff development process, how to improve technical assistance coaching, and how to use a data management system to inform this continual program improvement.

Sites for 2009-2010 program:

Camp Fire USA
943 Sibley Street NM
Grand Rapids , MI 49504

Church of the Holy Spirit
1200 Post Drive NE
Belmont , MI 49306

City View Church
960 Alpine NW
Grand Rapids , MI 49504

New Hope Baptist Church
130 Delaware St SW
Grand Rapids , MI 49507

Neland Ave. CRC
940 Neland Ave SE
Grand Rapids , MI 49507

Trinity Reformed Church
1224 Davis NW
Grand Rapids , MI 49504

Trinity United Methodist Church
1100 Lake Drive SE
Grand Rapids , MI 49506

For further program information, contact Bill Richards at 215-557-4488.